1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to water amusement attractions and rides. More particularly, the disclosure relates to dynamic and/or interactive systems and methods for themed amusement and/or water-powered river ride systems.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Amusement parks generally include attractions, such as rides, entertainment venues, and shops that are frequented by patrons (e.g., participants). The number and scope of the attractions, however, may be limited by various factors. For example, the space available to build and/or the cost associated with building and maintaining the attractions, such as waterpark rides, may limit the number and type of rides in an amusement park. Further, each attraction may provide a single experience to the participant that is significantly unchanged each time a participant uses the attraction. For example, in the case of a waterpark ride the route and features of the ride may be the same each time a participant uses the ride. A participant thus may be limited to a few or a finite number of entertainment experiences based on the number and type of attractions available. It is possible that after the patron has visited or used an attraction one or more times they may become complacent with the experience and lose interest in returning to the attraction, or even lose interest in returning to the amusement park in the future. Such complacency may be undesirable, as amusement parks typically strive to increase the number of visiting participants by providing new and exciting experiences to participants.
Almost all water park rides require substantial waiting periods in a queue line due to the large number of participants at the park. This waiting period is typically incorporated into the walk from the bottom of the ride back to the top, and can measure hours in length, while the ride itself lasts a few short minutes, if not less than a minute. A series of corrals are typically used to form a meandering line of participants that extends from the starting point of the ride toward the exit point of the ride. Besides the negative and time-consuming experience of waiting in line, the guests are usually wet, exposed to varying amounts of sun and shade, and are not able to stay physically active, all of which contribute to physical discomfort for the guest and lowered guest satisfaction. Additionally, these queue lines are difficult if not impossible for disabled guests to negotiate.
Typically waterparks are quite large in area. Typically guests must enter at one area and pass through a changing room area upon entering the park. Rides and picnic areas located in areas distant to the entry area are often underused in relation to rides and areas located near the entry area. More popular rides are overly filled with guests waiting in queue lines for entry onto them.
This leads to conditions of overcrowding in areas of the park which leads to guest dissatisfaction and general reduction of optimal guest dispersal throughout the park. The lack of an efficient transportation system between rides accentuates this problem in waterparks.
Additionally there are accessibility problems for disabled persons when it comes to enjoying amusement parks in general and water amusement parks specifically. For many disabled people it is realistically feasible, if not virtually impossible, to enjoy a water amusement park as normally abled persons do, and take for granted, on a daily basis.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was signed into law on Jul. 26, 1990 by President George H. W. Bush. The ADA is a wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, and other characteristics illegal. Disability is defined as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.” The determination of whether any particular condition is considered a disability is made on a case by case basis.
Under Title III of the ADA, no individual may be discriminated against on the basis of disability with regards to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation by any person who owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation. “Public accommodations” include most places of lodging (such as inns and hotels), recreation, transportation, education, and dining, along with stores, care providers, and places of public displays, among other things.
Most of the lawsuits filed under Title III of the ADA deal with the physical conditions or “accessibility” of physical places. Under Title III of the ADA, all “new construction” (construction, modification or alterations) after the effective date of the ADA (approximately July of 1992) must be fully compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) found in the Code of Federal Regulations at 28 C.F.R., Part 36, Appendix “A.” Perhaps even more importantly is the fact that Title III also has application to already existing facilities.
Many amusement parks today offer only limited access to disabled persons and hence are not fully utilizing this particular market, and are potentially in danger of noncompliance with the ADA and, therefore, exposed to civil litigation. As mentioned previously water amusement parks typically offer even less access to disabled persons than amusement parks featuring non-water based amusement rides and themes.
Additionally, people typically not considered disabled under current laws still find it difficult to take full advantage of many of the rides and entertainment features at amusement parks. People which may fall under this category may include the elderly and/or the very young.
What is needed is a water amusement park which is accessible to everyone, young and old, and disabled and abled, alike. A water amusement park should have events, rides, and/or entertainment accessible to all as well as of interest to a broad distribution of peoples.